Young kicker provides surprise at scrimmage
Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008
GRAVETTE — Pride Night looked like 2007 all over again at Lions Stadium this past Friday. Quarterback Ethan McKenzie threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Quintin Eden on the second play from scrimmage. Teddy Selby ripped off a long scoring run. Neither play came as a surprise for quick-striking Gravette. Sophomore kicker Cody Montee provided the surprise in the way of a 52-yard field goal under pressure.
“ The kicking game’s looking pretty good, ” third-year coach Bill Harrelson said. Montee joined the Lions in time for last year’s state playoff run. He kicked three extra points against Dardanelle. “ He went to a couple camps this summer and has worked hard, ” the coach said. “ He punts and kicks off for us. ” Montee made all his extra points Friday. He missed some field goals from the hashes. “ We’re not there yet from 25, 35 yards out, ” Harrelson said. “ Down the middle we just kept moving back. He made the 52 yarder and I didn’t want to chance moving back anymore. We just stopped at that. ” Montee will focus on kicking this year, but will play positions for Gravette in the future, the coach said. The 40-play scrimmage was Gravette’s first under the lights and first filmed for coaches. The Lions’ practice field does not have electricity. “ It went well, ” Harrelson said. “ I was not displeased. ” After reviewing the film, there are a lot of things they saw they need to correct. “ We’ve got a lot of work to do, ” the coach said. Eden’s reception was a thing of beauty. “ Quintin’s somebody who’s stood out, ” Harrelson said. “ He’s so solid all the time. He’s even stepped his game up even more this year. “ I’m really looking forward to getting him to games and seeing him perform. I really think he’s going to have a big year. ” Senior Safety Hayden McAfee was not ready to play Friday night. He has a sore shoulder but should be back for the team’s Sept. 2 opener against Clarksville. Gentry Pioneers The Pioneers also have a solid kicker in junior Robbie White, who flashed his potential in basketball and soccer a year ago. Gentry coach Brian Little said he liked White’s attitude and demeanor. “ I liked what I saw, ” the secondyear coach said. “ He has leadership qualities about him, a competitor. He was the goalie of our soccer team. He took a role on that team as a leader. I encouraged him to come out and utilize his characteristics and skills with his leg to kick for us. ”
The Pioneers continue to work on installation of offense and defense and review fundamentals.
“ We’re reaching that point where we’re ready to hit someone else, ” Little said. “ There’s only so much you can look at without going full speed. At the same time, you don’t want to run your kids ragged and get them hurt. ”
Little said player development in the weight room has paid big dividends for the team in that last year’s defensive unit had players out of position by necessity.
“ We’re going to be better at our defensive alignment and structure, ” he said. “ We’ve got kids in positions that belong there. In other words, we have linebackers playing that position, tackles playing tackle. ”
Case in point, he noted: Beau Straubing played linebacker for Gentry because it needed linebackers, he said.
“ If he were on this year’s team, he probably would have his hand down on the defensive line, ” Little said.
Little said his team has not suffered any injuries. Pea Ridge Blackhawks
Like Gentry, Pea Ridge is also into its fourth week of fall camps. Both 1-4 A teams started July 28.
“ You get tired of the same routine, ” second-year coach Mark Laster said. “ I try to change up practice every now and then, keep it interesting. ”
Laster’s Blackhawks are less than one week away from a home scrimmage.
“ We’re pointing to that, ” he said.
Running backs Denver Bell and Tyler Ramsey have had good days, Laster said.
“ What I like about them is their versatility, ” he said. “ I’m not afraid to run either one of them up the gut and I’m not afraid to send them out wide as receivers.
“ Last year when we got in the split look I had to think a lot more; which one do I want to option to and which one I wanted to dive up the middle. This year, it’s not that big a deal. Either one of them can run the option or the dive. ”
Notes: Gravette has 41 players suited out. Gentry has 42 and Pea Ridge 35. “ That’s a consistent number, ” Harrelson said. “ I think everybody’s in the same boat. Farmington has like 38 or 39. That sounds like a set number for everyone. ” … Gravette hosts Lincoln Aug. 28 in a scrimmage and opens the season five days later. Gentry travels to West Fork on Aug. 26 for a scrimmage and Pea Ridge hosts Cedarville Aug. 25.
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